Sighted Eyes / Feeling Heart

A film by Tracy Heather Strain

Artist. Activist. Rebel. Visionary. If you only know “A Raisin in the Sun,” then you don’t know Lorraine Hansberry.

This moving, nonfiction account of the life of Lorraine Hansberry, writer of the groundbreaking play A Raisin in the Sun, tells the dramatic story of the young, gifted and black woman who chose words to fight injustice—on stage and off.

Lorraine Hansberry (1930-1965) boldly challenged American society to live up to its ideals and chose theater as her agent of change. She personified the struggles of the 20th century until her early death at just 34 years old, but her words remain vibrant, revelatory and relevant.

Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart mixes interviews with those who knew her, including Ruby Dee, Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, her sister, Mamie Hansberry, with rare archival material. Lorraine Hansberry’s personal papers, home movies and a host of photographs and footage from a wide variety of sources dynamically and insightfully bring to life this first feature documentary about the woman who has been best-known only for writing the American classic A Raisin in the Sun.

We are seeking support to help cover rights costs that have skyrocketed since we began the film. Your contribution to our documentary will help us make sure we can get the film and filmmakers to domestic and international film festivals and pre-broadcast screenings to bring Lorraine Hansberry’s story out to the world. In addition, your donation will help us share the vast interviews and other materials we’ve collected on our forthcoming project website.

As of 2017, major funding has been provided by National Endowment for the Humanities, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Ford Foundation/Just Films, and National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support has been provided by LEF Foundation, New York Community Trust, Illinois Humanities, California Newsreel, Color of Film Collaborative, James & Eva MacLowry, Massachusetts Cultural Council Artists Grant, LexisNexis,Stephen R. Ambrose Escrow Fund, Beth K. Smith, Deborah Smith and Mark Myron, Kevin Spacey, Ten-Ten Foundation, The Arnold Glassman Fund, The Boston Foundation, Brother Thomas Fellowship–and hundreds of generous individual donors.

Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart is presented by Lorraine Hansberry Documentary Project, LLC in association with American Masters Pictures in co-production with Independent Television Service and Black Public Media.

For the latest news until our new website is up, like us on Facebook! @hansberrydoc